WE ADVANCED AS WE WERE DESIGNED. WE REACHED THE GREAT KIND ONE.
IT WARNED US OF THE FINAL PLAGUE, THE THREAT TO ALL THAT THRIVE.
THE GREAT ONE HAD A PLAN. A DOOR OF KEYS FOR THE CHOSEN.
BUT WE WERE BUILDERS, NOT HEROES. IN THE EVENT THAT THE PLAN FAILED,
WE CARVED THE INFINITE SANCTUARY, TO SALVAGE WHAT LITTLE LIFE WE COULD.
WE ARE DESTINED NOT TO REMAIN, AS IS THE GREAT ONE.
ITS LEGACY WILL BE ITS REMNANTS, AND OURS SHALL BE OUR TEMPLES.
Archaeological records all across the galaxy point to a significant event that occured nearly 300,000 years ago that forever changed the course of galactic history; planets filled with the fossilized remains of planet-sized superorganisms, precursor texts and murals all across the galaxy speaking of this one event, and even references to the event in newer species of the galaxy; ancient Stargazer cave drawings depicting an ultimate evil and an ultimate good, Novakid stories with unclear origins. One civilization in the Milky Way's history has baffled and fascinated researchers from every field of science for nearly a hundred years, from governments harboring their powerful technology to explorers seeking artifacts in their long lost temples, the legacy of a people that shaped the galaxy to their whims- until they were irreversibly shattered by a terrible force that nearly consumed the entire galaxy.
We call these lost progenitors of our galaxy the Ancients. Through research, we have uncovered only a mere glimpse of the mystery of the precursor legacy that could save this galaxy or destroy it, an ultimate plan devised by the Ancients that would grant the future inhabitants of the galaxy the means of destroying the Ruin once and for all.
This is what we know of the Ancients, from their rise to rule the galaxy with their wisdom, to their fall and defeat by the Ruin. Will you help complete the Inheritance?
Precursor Research
Much of this codex has yet to be discovered. "Compendiums", which are lore sections that can be discovered, that have yet to be completely discovered will be marked with a . To discover fragments of a compendium, find knowledge fragments in precursor ruins or through IC research.
What we know of Ancient biology is primarily from studies of skeletons believed to be of members of the Ancient species present on the world of Garlen. Skeletons from Garlen have been studied extensively by the Gaia University, allowing our understanding of their general morphology.
The Ancients are a bipedal species; their upper torso and skulls are in a triangular form, with one large eye in the center of their faces. Their legs are digitigrade and they have three opposable digits. It is believed that with a massive chest cavity in proportion to the rest of their body, they possessed immense lung capacity, rivaling those of diver Hylotl. Despite being monocular, it is believed they had extraordinary vision due to the size of their eye sockets.
Much of the Ancients' long history is unknown to us, but it is believed that the peak of their vast federation occured over 300,000 years ago, and lasted for potentially thousands of years until their fall to the Ruin. Most of the archaelogical records and texts that have been studied regarding their history are within this time period, known as the "Age of Cultivation". A massive event known as the Ancient War began near the end of the Age of Cultivation, circa 300,000 years ago. Following the closure of the Ancient War, it is believed that the remnants of the Ancient species and other species in league with them fled to the dimension world of Garlen, where they slowly declined and eventually went extinct.
The Ancient War was a period of galaxy-wide conflict that occured between the Ancient Collective and the Ruin roughly 300,000 years ago. It ended with the Ancient Collective's defeat by the Ruin, and the mysterious disappearance of the Cultivator.
Little is known about the Ancients' actual culture; we know that their society placed emphasis on peace and construction, with weapons only being deployed when necessary. The Ancients were primarily concerned with the safeguarding of the galaxy, which they called Cradle; for both its current and future inhabitants. Thus, many of their temples and other buildings contain messages meant for the future "inheritors" of the galaxy.
Ancient religion likely revolves around the worship of a mysterious entity known to them as the Cultivator, a progeninator and creator of life. Depictions of the Cultivator can be seen across many Ancient ruins and temples.
Mysterious and highly sought after, Ancient technology is fundamentally different from our own in that it uses a strange power source called "essence" instead of electricity, and is capable of extraordinary feats such as the creation of pocket dimensions, constructs that continue to remain animated after hundreds of thousands of years, and strange types of weaponry that dwarf our own in terms of power and devestation.
Most attempts to recreate or even modify Ancient technology have failed, making them highly valuable. Even scanning the entire molecular structure of Ancient devices yields incomprehensible results, suggesting there are anomalous or other forms of higher physics at work.
Essence is the power source of all Ancient technology. Essence is typically found within fist-sized orbs of a highly strong glass, and appears as a glowing deep purple substance with a black core. The glass shell of essence orbs dissolve when used to power an Ancient device, the device absorbing the essence contained within.
Essence is a highly valuable commodity, and evidence suggests that it was formerly used as a currency in Garlen's history, suggesting that it became scarce following the fall of the Ancient Collective.
Artifacts are unique pieces of Ancient technology that have seen extensive history; they are highly sought after and functional, often possessing extraordinary properties not seen in most Ancient technology.